Boulder County Encourages All Residents to Be Prepared for Wildfire

Boulder County, Colo. - Over the past weekend, the foothills just above Boulder experienced a wildfire event known as the Dinosaur Fire. Thanks to the quick and effective response from dedicated firefighters, the fire was contained without any damage to nearby neighborhoods.

Wildfires are a natural occurrence in Boulder County. There have been fires recorded every month of the year in locations that span the entire county.

The Wildfire Partners Chipping Program, a key initiative and popular program through Boulder County, plays a crucial role in helping homeowners reduce their wildfire risk by providing essential mitigation resources and opportunities for residents to host their own chipping events for themselves and at least four additional neighbors. These community events help homeowners remove wood slash and fuels that can ignite near their homes, significantly lowering the chances of fire spread and damage.

While all communities in Boulder County are at-risk for wildfire damage, one community close to the Dinosaur Fire and 2022 NCAR Fire has taken proactive steps in wildfire mitigation, greatly reducing their vulnerability.

Genet D’Arcy, a successful two-time host of the Chipping Program and a resident of the Devils Thumb community in Boulder, said:

“Like everyone in Boulder this past weekend, our entire neighborhood was quite nervous. I’m grateful to the firefighters for their hard work in keeping our town safe. I’m also grateful for the support and work of the Wildfire Partners, the fire mitigation department of Boulder County."

"Our community has used Wildfire Partners to help us with two chipping events over the last year which resulted in large amounts of wood and slash removal throughout our area. The process to sign up and track participants is very easy and the work done by the contractor is excellent. They cleaned up the streets after the chipping. We had forty homes participate and they did not miss anyone. Coordinator Zack Bertges of Wildfire Partners is super helpful and supportive, and we are so thankful to have these wonderful opportunities.”

So far in 2024 the Chipping Program has supported nearly 700 homes with chipping and slash removal utilizing the voter-approved Wildfire Mitigation Sales Tax.

About the Wildfire Partners Chipping Programs

Wildfire Partners offers the Community Chipping Program to all Boulder County residents. The Community Chipping Program is specifically designed for homeowners to host their own independent Chipping Event. A Community Chipping Event requires one household to assume the role of Chipping Event Host for their neighborhood. The Host is then responsible for completing an application for themselves (which includes at least 4 neighbors), coordinating a chipping date with a County approved contractor and participating neighbors, and educating others on slash pile requirements. For more information visit the Wildfire Partners Community Chipping Program website.

About Wildfire Partners

Wildfire Partners is Boulder County’s nationally recognized program designed to help residents prepare for wildfires. Technical and financial assistance is available to residents of the county through custom wildfire mitigation assessments, grant funding and rebates, educational programs, community events, and a chipping program.

For more information about the Wildfire Partners Chipping Programs, contact Zack Bertges, Wildfire Partners Chipping Coordinator, at 303-678-6168 or zbertges@bouldercounty.gov.